Sustainable homes at heart of Worthing Local Plan

Sustainable homes, enhanced open spaces and flexible work places are at the heart of detailed plans to guide the future development of Worthing.

The Worthing Local Plan sets out the vision for the town for the next 15 years, mapping out how it will look for residents, businesses and visitors in 2036.

Central to the vision is the creation of 4,600 additional sustainable homes, primarily on brownfield sites such as Teville Gate and Union Place, while large open spaces, such as Brooklands Park, Goring Gap and Chatsmore Farm, will be preserved and enhanced for generations to come.

A key driver is sustainability with Worthing Borough Council one of the first in the country to embed United Nations Sustainable Development Goals into their development plan. This will help mitigate the impact of climate change and require higher levels of sustainability to be met, such as increased energy efficiency of new homes and work spaces, the provision of EV charging points and water reused on site.

The plan also takes special steps to protect and create new employment spaces while ensuring they are flexible and adaptable as part of wider efforts to support the town’s economy bounce back from COVID.

But even with the proposed development on brownfield and edge of town sites, the plan does warn that it will be 10,000 properties short of meeting demand in the next 15 years.

The document will be discussed this week (November 11) by the Council’s Planning Committee before being considered by executive councillors and Full Council. 

Pending approval, there will be a final round of consultation before being sent to the national Planning Inspectorate for review ahead of possible adoption next year.

Councillor Kevin Jenkins, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, said: “After years of preparation and input from hundreds of people I’m delighted that we’re able to present the final version of the Worthing Local Plan, which - if adopted - will affect everyone who has a vested interest in our town.

“The final document balances the need to provide a good mix of homes with adaptable flexible work spaces whilst seeking to preserve crucial areas of open space, which have played such an important role in recent months during the global pandemic.

“I’m also delighted we have been able to be ambitious around sustainability, making sure that the new development that does take place is sympathetic to our amazing location between the South Downs and the sea.

“I look forward to hearing comments and feedback from councillor colleagues in the next few weeks and hope, after further input from the public, we are able to submit it to the Planning Inspectorate.”

Those behind the Worthing Local Plan have spent the past four years carrying out extensive studies into every parcel of land in the borough as the Council looks to ensure the right mix of places for people to live, work and play in the future.

This includes two major pieces of consultation with the public, land owners, developers and community groups.

Even with the development of major brownfield sites such as Teville Gate, Union Place and Grafton Car Park coming forward, the plan uses comprehensive evidence to demonstrate there is only enough land in the borough to provide just 4,599 dwellings by 2033. This is way below the assessed need level of more than 15,000 homes.

Among those areas proposed for development are land off Upper Brighton Road (123 homes), land east of Fulbeck Avenue (152) and part of the Northbrook Caravan Club site (75). 

Other sites included in the final plan are land off Beeches Avenue and land east of Titnore Lane as evidence now indicates that previous key constraints can be overcome.

However, even with housing pressure, the Council has made a commitment to place protected status on environmentally sensitive areas such as Goring Gap (South), Chatsmore Farm (between the A259 and railway line at Goring) and Brooklands Park.

The 190-page document also includes detailed policies on a range of planning issues, such as affordable housing provision, heritage, design, retail and the economy. When adopted, these will be used when making decisions on future applications.

West Sussex Transport Plan Review Survey

West Sussex County Council has started a review of the West Sussex Transport Plan (WSTP). The current plan, which covers the 2011-26 period, needs to be reviewed to take account of changes to national and local policy, such as the Government’s legally-binding commitment to achieve net zero carbon by 2050. The new plan will set out how we aim to continue supporting the economy and communities while protecting the environment.  We will consider the best approaches to tackle key transport issues such as congestion, road safety and pollution, and set out our plans for all modes of transport.

The survey is accessible to all, so individual members of the public can also submit their views if they wish to do so. The survey closing date is Thursday 17^th December 2020. To complete the survey please visit: www.westsussex.gov.uk/WSTPsurvey

The survey results will help shape the draft version of the plan, which will be published for public consultation in summer 2021.  We aim to adopt the plan in early 2022.

Transport Planning and Policy Team

New national restrictions 

To help reduce the spread of COVID-19 new national restriction measures have came in to force on Thursday 5 November, and will remain in place until Wednesday 2 December. Click here to find out how this will affect West Sussex County Council services, including libraries, Household Waste Recycling Sites, registration services and ceremonies.

You can also find the latest weekly case numbers on our website.   

The new tougher national restrictions include staying at home, only travelling if it is essential, and not meeting people socially. Restrictions do allow people to exercise or meet in a public, outdoor space with people they live with, their support bubble (or childcare bubble), or with one other person. It is vital that anyone who thinks they need any kind of medical care comes forward and seeks help. Further information, including working from home, business closures and the financial support available can be found on the government's website below.

Extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS)

The Chancellor has announced that CJRS will be extended until the end of March‌‌‌ 2021 for all parts of the UK. For claim periods running to 31‌‌‌ January 2021, the UK Government will pay 80% of employees’ usual wages for hours not worked, up to a cap of £2,500 per month. The UK Government will review the policy in January to decide whether economic circumstances are improving enough to ask employers to contribute more.

It was also confirmed that the Job Retention Bonus will no longer be paid in Fe‌‌‌bruary 2021, as CJRS will be available at that time. An alternative retention incentive will be put in place at the appropriate time.

What you need to do now

If you intend to claim under the CJRS, please look at information published today on how you can check if you’re eligible to claim, and what you need to agree with your employees. You can find this on GOV‌‌‌.UK by searching 'Extension to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme'.

This latest information applies for CJRS claim periods from 1 November 2020. The final date for claims for the period up to 31 October is still 30‌‌‌ November 2020.

Post EU Transition - Are you ready?

Date: 20th November 
Time: 9:30am - 11:30am
This event will be held as a webinar and is free to attend

Once the Transition Period ends on the 31st December 2020, a new era of procedures, processes, trading, customs and checks on goods moving between the UK and EU countries will be ushered in.  This two-hour virtual event “Post EU Transition – Are you ready?” will provide updates on what trading businesses need to do to ensure compliance. In our efforts to sustain and develop trade between the UK and the EU, the Sussex and Surrey Chambers of Commerce are delighted to invite you to participate in our forthcoming virtual Q&A session, answering all your questions in a live and interactive panel session, incorporating breakout rooms for specific topics! There are numerous specialists joining us whose expertise cover a wide range of related topics who will each address key issues that are vital to maintaining and growing trade and ensuring you are compliant.

Please book your free place online or email info@sussexchamberofcommerce.co.uk

As well as an overview of the latest news on any requirements post transition, we will be offering “Topic breakout rooms” so that you can ask those detailed questions on the areas that concern you.

Breakout Topics:

• Regulation and certification marking
• Tax
• Food and Drink labelling, packaging  
• Digital, e-commerce and data protection
• Customs, borders and tariffs, documentation (including Customs Declarations) 
• People

Click here to book your place

Greater Brighton makes 10 pledges on tackling climate change

Influential leaders across Greater Brighton today came together to pledge that the region would lead the way in helping to tackle climate change and developing green growth.

All members of the Greater Brighton Economic Board (GBEB) individually committed their organisations to support the GB10, a range of pledges underpinning energy and water projects which will help the environment.

The board includes all local councils in the region, business groups, two universities, further education with strong support from companies such as Ricardo and Southern Water.

A report before GBEB stated that supporting the pledges gave ‘considerable weight and commitment to projects that both create economic prosperity but also contribute to tackling climate change.

‘It is a clear statement of intent from a powerful range of voices.’

The 10 pledges are:

• Kelp:  backing a scheme to introduce a carbon capturing kelp forest off the Sussex coast.
• Water Recycling:  partnering projects to introduce recycled water into new homes.
• Zero Emission Fleets: committing to phasing out diesel cars, refuse trucks and vans
• EV Charging Points: supporting a huge increase in electric vehicle charging points.
• Rewilding: supporting an increase in natural landscapes and rain garden projects
• Home Visits: supporting Southern Water’s 50,000 water and energy efficiency home visits 
• Low Carbon Heating: rolling out schemes to replace oil home heating with electric and other low carbon fuels
• Public Buildings: reducing energy use by 50 per cent by 2030
• Innovation: establishing an Innovation Forum to share latest research and best practice
• Lobby; using Greater Brighton’s powerful voice to lobby government for investment

At the meeting all members of Greater Brighton individually backed the GB10 and outlining one area where they were already working successfully.

Chairman of the Greater Brighton Economic Board, Cllr Daniel Humphreys, said, ‘As a city region we have a very powerful collective voice and an ability to coordinate our work to make maximum impact.

‘In a post-Covid world economic recovery will depend on our ability to deliver clean growth projects which also tackle the ever-pressing climate change crisis. By making these pledges we have committed ourselves to initiating, backing, or supporting a genuinely innovative programme of works that will ensure Greater Brighton is at the forefront of sustainable development.’

Cllr Humphreys, who is also leader of Worthing Borough Council, added that the board would receive reports on the progress of the schemes. This would be made publicly available.

To back the GB10 pledges and the energy and water work beneath them a specially commissioned video has been produced and a new section of the Greater Brighton website created so that residents can be updated on the work and progress.

To see the video and find out more about the pledges visit https://greaterbrighton.com/GB10/

Teville Gate: Council set for dramatic £12m intervention to build 230 homes

A dramatic £12.5m intervention is set to be made by Worthing Borough Council to build hundreds of homes at the Teville Gate site.

A proposal is to be discussed by council leaders recommending the authority enter a joint venture partnership with an award-winning affordable homes provider to take over the site and finally bring some momentum to development which has stalled for decades.

Current owners Mosaic Global Investments Ltd has recently indicated it wants to sell the land, citing doubts caused by the pandemic as cause to end its plans for its ‘Station Square’ development on the site.

Fearing that another drawn out sale will further delay progress a council report says the best option may be for the authority to intervene and bring forward a plan to build 230 new homes on the site, 130 of which will be designated affordable.

The report proposes entering into partnership dialogue with VIVID, a Housing Association which already has 31,000 homes in the South of England and is keen to move into Worthing. VIVID is a strategic partner of the government’s Homes England body and was named Housing Association of the Year in 2019 by What House?

Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, Cllr Kevin Jenkins, said, ‘For years we have worked so hard to try to bring development forward at Teville Gate but as it has been privately owned we have had little control of the outcome.

‘If this proposal succeeds it means we can take Teville’s destiny into our own hands. It means taking on managed risk but if successful it will bring much needed new homes and new life to this part of Worthing. Perhaps now is the time to intervene positively to help our local economy recover from the terrible effects the Pandemic has had on the entire UK.’

Mike Shepherd, Director of New Business and Development at VIVID said, ‘We are looking forward to the prospect of working with Worthing Borough Council on the Teville Gate site and bringing forward this development for the local community.’

The report points out that the Council’s post-Covid programme ‘And Then…’ calls for ‘appropriate and timely’ interventions from the authority to help stimulate recovery growth. It also details how council officers have worked with Mosaic to identify potential vendors for the site before concluding a joint venture might be the best way forward.

Under the proposed deal the Council and VIVID have agreed in principle to purchase the site from Mosaic. The Council will share the development risk of delivering 100 new homes for market sale. The affordable accommodation will be developed and managed by VIVID for the long term with the Council able to secure nomination rights for a proportion of new homes for people currently on the housing waiting list.

The investment from the Council would be in the region of £12.5m but, the report points out, 50 per cent of the sale proceeds of the market homes would return to the authority. If the homes were built and sold within three years at a 10 per cent profit the Council would return a surplus.

Last year in another effort to bring impetus to the Teville project the Council secured a £1.6 million grant, funded from the Local Growth Fund provided by the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), to demolish the multi-storey car park which sat on the only part of the site that it controlled via a long-term lease.

The report to go before Adur & Worthing Councils’ Joint Strategic Committee next Tuesday (Nov 3) asks the Worthing’s Executive Committee councillors to release £246,000 for the initial costs of the project and to delegate to the Director for the Economy the authority to enter into a pre-purchase funding agreement with VIVID.

Greater Brighton can bounce back from pandemic says Chairman

Growth in digital and creative industries and support for a greener economy will help the Greater Brighton City Region bounce back from the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chairman of the Greater Brighton Economic Board, Cllr Daniel Humphreys, said he was confident the combined resources and talents of all partners would ensure the region could handle the difficult times ahead.

Cllr Humphreys, who is also leader of Worthing Borough Council, has just been elected chairman of the City Region for a second year. The board which coordinates region activities consists of seven local authorities, two universities and business partners.

‘I don’t hide from the fact that Greater Brighton, in common with the rest of the UK, has suffered a terrible economic blow in 2020 and we have not seen the worst of it yet,’ he said, ‘But the plan of action we are putting together together with the existing strengths of the region make me very confident that we can recover from this.’

A report commissioned by Greater Brighton shows that the economy is estimated to shrink by 11 per cent this year and fears remain about rising unemployment among the young, especially in retail, hospitality and tourism, when the government’s job retention scheme is wound down this month.

Against this backdrop Cllr Humphreys will unveil a Covid-19 Recovery Plan.

Among the programmes proposed to lead the bounce back are:

• Supporting creative industries with small business grants and digital infrastructure to allow them to grow. 
• Supporting digital industries, which are worth more than £1bn a year to the region’s economy, by backing a skills programme and ensuring digital infrastructure is able to support growth.
• Supporting clean growth as a new driver of the economy with Greater Brighton’s energy and water conservation plans creating a multi-million pound ‘green’ industry.

The report also outlines plans to provide more flexible workspaces for new businesses, support new high-powered quantum computing networks to create new businesses and employment, lobby government for support for tourism and young people employment measures.

It wants to see the region as a hydrogen hub to support clean transport as well as retrofitting existing housing to improve energy efficiency and back a new drive to increase the level of inward investment into Greater Brighton from around the world which is currently at low levels.

Said Cllr Humphreys, ‘We are lucky in some ways in that Greater Brighton already has leading businesses in areas such as digital, research, and tourism and our green industries are continuing to grow so that we have something to build on.

‘Greater Brighton’s job in the next year is to use our combined strengths and also our lobbying power to help put our region back on its feet. This will also need a much greater emphasis on attracting inward investment here using those messages that all of us here already recognise, namely that this is a fantastic place in which to invest, work and live.’

Coronavirus Loans Schemes and Future Fund extended to 31st January 2021

The Government’s three Coronavirus business interruption loan schemes – the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) – and the Future Fund will be extended to 31 January 2021.

It was also announced that eligible businesses will be able to ‘top up’ existing Bounce Back Loans should they need additional finance.

Further information on the changes to the four schemes will be available on the British Business Bank website

Plans for Worthing Pier’s Southern Pavilion Get The Go Ahead

Worthing Pier's art deco Southern Pavilion is set to be brought back into use after plans for an extensive refurbishment got the go ahead.

Worthing Borough Council agreed a deal with the team that operates The Perch in Lancing to take over the lease on the landmark 1930s building last year.

Since then the new owners have spent time drawing up plans to revamp the interior of the building and create a new enlarged kitchen within the Grade II Listed pavilion.

With these proposals being approved by the Planning Committee last week, applicant Alex Hole hopes to reopen the building as soon as possible.

He said, “We now have a way forward. Naturally, this year has been full of hurdles, but we've still been working on this project. We still want this building to come back into life; we still want to invest; we still want this location to thrive.”

Cllr Kevin Jenkins, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration said, 

“It’s great to see this project taking another step forward, and despite overall challenges this year seeing the new owners, who also run The Perch on Lancing Beach still committed to giving this iconic building a new lease of life. We welcome the Southern Pavilion being rejuvenated, enhancing our seafront offering and the team who bring their passion, enthusiasm and skills to the area.”